Thursday, May 21, 2015

Tennessee Testimonials

I could write a book of all the tragic losses people have shared with me of their friends and family members concerning diabetes.
Loss of feet, limbs, sight and life.
I met a preacher last Sunday. He walked out from the small roadside church. One of many in Crossville erected of metal and faith. He had lost well over one hundred pounds after suffering heart troubles and diabetes. Through self determination and dedication he was now a dapper dressed dispenser of "the word" to his flock of faithful.
Yesterday I stopped on the roadside to talk to a man whose daughter had come home from school telling him of a video the school had watched that was filmed by two of their teachers with me and the world. (I had been told the children had to watch with their heads tilted to one side because the teacher held the camera sideways) He brought a large bottle of cold water, wanted to get a picture for his kids and offer me a snack cake. He was the snack cake delivery guy. After accepting the offer he brought out a stack, one of each that he had and an extra honey bun. I had left the zipper open on top of my backpack so I let him load them in, asking him to take care next the baby cucumbers and cherries I had brought on my own. We laughed at the irony of loading up the guy walking for diabetes with sugary cakes. The man wanted so much to do what he could for me and what else can a snack cake guy do but dispense them?
By this time a small congregation had formed. After my light hearted sermon about the irony of snack cakes the women from the close-by business and the happy snack cake bread-winner had gone, but one young man remained.
He was a young man, looked fit, healthy in his twenties. He shared that he had been diabetic but lost one hundred pounds which he had gained after moving out on his own as an adult from his parents home. With diet and exercise he was now free of diabetic symptom,s taking no medications.
Determination and dedication.
Who knows, maybe a little faith in himself.
Love yourself, go for a walk.

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Saw you at the end of my street this morning on my way to work. Kingston, TN. Both my parents, my grandmother, and my aunt are all diabetic. My great grandfather passed away due to complications from diabetes. Thank you for what you are doing.

Support the Foundation

Erik Bendl has walked over six thousand miles for the cause of diabetes awareness. During the last six years he and his dog, named Nice, have walked in more than forty states and Washington D.C. to help the American Diabetes Association and encourage people to get healthy with exercise and diet to control and prevent diabetes. His is a simple message... "Love yourself. Go for a walk."

When you see him on the road stop to say hello, walk with him or call him @ (502) 408-5772.http://main.diabetes.org/goto/teamworldguy